Minister stands by tagging idea for the elderly

Science minister Malcolm Wicks yesterday defended his suggestion that satellite technology could be used to track vulnerable older people, but said the government had no plans to pursue the idea.

His comments on Wednesday, when he was questioned by the Commons science select committee about potential uses of satellite technology, attracted immediate criticism from charities. Help the Aged said the proposal smacked of Big Brother. Speaking at a meeting of specialists on ageing at the Royal Society yesterday, Mr Wicks said he had been surprised by the severity of some of the criticisms, and called for a public discussion.

He said satellites should be used to do more than monitor crops, track goods and help drivers navigate. "Should we not also use them for things which are socially more important? People wander out of care homes, or they get lost. This is a realistic social concern."

Improvements in sanitation and medical understanding over the past 200 years have extended life expectancy dramatically. Rising rates of obesity may yet see life expectancy fall, but if not, age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and other dementias are likely to become an increasing burden for health services and home carers. There are about 700,000 people in the UK with dementia, a figure set to rise to more than 1m in 20 years and to 1.7m by 2050.